isatenceetticlbmicponuiar In. the entiteniitecatare.itite
are among the most popular in the entire literature, it is
interesting to note that one was composed by a fullfledged
virtuoso and bold symphonic innovator while the other came
from the pen of a musician who studiously avoided the flam-
boyant phrase and heaven-storming crescendo. Yet each is a
prime example of the Romantic concerto,
The description “Paganini of the piano’” applied to Franz
Liszt (1811-1886) as both performer and composer. On March
9, 1831, the gaunt, waxen-faced Italian violinist gave his first
Paris recital at the Opéra before a wildly enthusiastic aud
ence. Like many other musicians of his day (a few were Ber-
lioz, Schumann, Rossini and Chopin), Liszt was electrified by
Paganini’s diabolical exhibition of’ skill and pyrotechnics.
Acutely aware of his own technical deficiencies, he set out to
translate into pianistic terms the extraordinary feats of vir-
tuosity which Paganini accomplished on the violin. His musi
cal and artistic regimen was drastically revised. He wrote to
one of his pupils at the time: ‘'My mind and my fingers are
working like two lost souls. Homer, the Bible, Plato, Locke,
Byron, Hugo, Lamartine, Chateaubriand, Beethoven, Bach,
Hummel, Mozart, Weber are all about me. | study them, medi-
tate on them, devour them furiously. In addition, | work four
or five hours’ at exercises (thirds, sixths, tremclos, octaves,
repeated notes, cadenzas, etc.)."” an
in the realm’ of technique, Liszt's debt to Paganini may be
seen in his extensive output of piano études composed be-
tween 1831-1852, the most famous of which are the Etudes
a'exécution transsendante dvaprds Paganini (1838), 3 Etudes
de concerts (1848), Grandes Etudes de Paganini (1851) and
Etudes dexérition transcendante (1851), The same immersion
in exercises 2 la Paganini wrought a considerable improve.
ment in Liszt as a concert artist; he developed a dramatic
platform manner and gained more freedom in improvisation,
Sir Charles Hallé reported in his Memoirs how Liszt followed
an orchestral performance of the Symphonie Fantastique with
his own piano transcription of the “March to the Scaffold”
and received more applause than the orchestra.
Like Schumann, who was the first to recognize Chopin and
Brahms in the early years of their careers, Liszt championed
the music of his mast original contemporaries. He was an
unselfish supporter of Wagner and Berlioz; in order to ad-
vance the Frenchman's reputation, he carried publication ex-
penses for his transcription of a movement of the Symphonie
Fantastique. (The piano transcription of a symphonic extract
usually stood a better chance of reaching the concert stage
than the symphony itself.)
Along with the Paganini Caprices, the Symphonie Fantas-
tique exerted a profound influence upon Liszt’s musical style.
Two main concepts grew out of the latter work. First, in the
wedding of musical and poetical thoughts, Liszt saw a. su-
preme confirmation of his own budding Romantic ideas which
eventually led him toward the “'symphonic poem”; secondly,
the manner in which the symphony revolved around a recur-
ring idea, the idée fixe, became the pattern of many of Liszt's
major works.
‘The Piano Sonata in B Minor and the Concerto in E Flat are
formal outgrowths of the Symphonie Fantastique; but where
Berlioz based his work on a definite “program,” Liszt evolved
the technique of thematic metamorphosis. Central motives
dominate each piece, appearing in different guises. Secondary
subjects, introduced for the sake of contrast, are often dis-
covered 'to be developments of earlier thematic fragments.
The fourth movement of the Concerto in E flat from the
Allegro marziale on, corresponds with the second movement,
Adagio as Liszt pointed out: “It is only an urgent recapitula
tion of the earlier subject matter with quickened livelier
rhythm, and contains no new motive. . . . The trombones and
basses ‘take up the second part of the motive of the Adagio
(B major). The pianoforte figure that follows is none other
than the reproduction of the motive which was given in the
Adagio by flute and clarinet . . .” and so forth. There are
numerous other instances of what Liszt called the “binding
together” process.
Liszt's “cyclical” Concerto in E flat for Piano and Orchestra
achieves a unity of form no less organic than that of its clas-
sical prototypes. But it was not merely resistance to formal
innovations which accounted for the controversy surrounding
its premiere on February 17, 1855, in Weimar with the com-
poser at the piano and Berlioz conducting. When the work
arrived in Vienna, it was promptly attacked by Eduard Hans-
lick on charges of being too frivolous. Singling out the tri
angle as the chief offender in the orchestral score, the
Austrian critic gave the work a subtitle that was to cling to it
persistently over the years: ‘Triangle Concerto.” The imme-
diate effect of his denunciation was to drive the concerto
from Viennese halls for the next fifteen years,
The extent of Hanslick’s critical influence may be seen in
the fact that Liszt felt obliged to explain the orchestration of
his concerto. He admitted that the triangle might offend some
people but maintained that this related to a “preconceived
Gisinclination and objection to percussion instruments in
general], somewhat justified by their frequent misuse.” The
Public, as well as most composers, had not yet learned to
treat the percussion instruments on the same level with other
members of the orchestral family.
The Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat was some twenty-five
years in the making; its principal themes were jotted down in
4a sketch book dated 1830, work was resumed on it during the
1840s, and Liszt continued to pencil in alterations up to 2
year after its premiere. The work is in three movements:
Allegro maestoso, Quasi Adagio—Allegretto vivace, and Allegro
marziale animato. The opening subject is the seed from which
springs virtually all the thematic material in the score, in-
Cluding the cantabile melody introduced by muted strings’ and
the delightful scherzando of the second movement, and the
legato chromatic theme in E flat in the finale. Apart’ from the
ingenious handling-of the solo, Liszt executes some highly
original orchestral effects including the light airy theme
taken by the flute with piano and triangle filigree, as well as
the duet between solo clarinet and piano in the ‘first move-
ment. In general, Liszt avoided orchestration en bloc and
sought to give expression to the individual coloring of each
instrument, thus living up to his own description of the work
as a true ‘concerto symphonique."”
Edvard Grieg was one of the younger composers encouraged
by Liszt. In. 1868 the Hungarian wrote to Grieg expressing
interest in his second violin and piano sonata and inviting him
to Weimar. There followed a warm friendship between the
two men which was to endure for many years.
However, Grieg (1843-1907) derived his inspiration not from
Liszt but from other sources: the piano music of Schumann
and the folk melodies of his native land. During his formative
years, he valiantly attempted to become a ‘serious’” com-
poser’ of symphonies and sonatas. The results of his ‘classi
cal’ period included a number of sonatas, an overture, an
unfinished symphony and the Piano Concerto in A Minor,’ Op.
16. Like other musical journeymen from the North, Grieg duti-
fully made the rounds of European musical centers and al
lowed the Danish composer Gade to persuade him to try his
hand at a symphony. Before he was thirty, Grieg realized that
extended works did ‘not challenge him to his best efforts and
he wisely focused his attention on short pieces with a distinc-
tive national flavor. After his artistic awakening, Greg's out
Put consisted mainly of songs and brief works for piano solo
Paradoxically, the Piano Concerto in A Minor, a work that
would seem least to reflect the true characteristics of Grieg’s
musical language, became his best known composition. Writ-
ten in Denmark in 1868, it was given its premiere on April 3,
1869, in Copenhagen, with the composer as soloist. The work
was patterned after 'Schumann’s concerto in the same key.
The reasons for the success of this large-scale composition by
miniaturist may be found in its form, thematic content and
orchestral scoring. In structure, the A Minor Concerto is hori-
zontal rather than vertical, ornamental rather than architec-
tural. Grieg’s occasional bows in the direction of the sonata
form fail to obscure the fact that the concerto is essentially a
spinning out of attractive melodic ideas, The melodies them-
selves breathe forth the fragrance of the Norwegian country.
side. Finally, the piano—Grieg’s instrument—predominates
throughout the work, seldom yielding the spotlight to the
orchestra, in contrast to Liszt's treatment. All these factors
combined to draw from Grieg his best musical ideas.
The Concerto in A Minor is in three movements: Allegra
molto moderato, Adagio, and Allegro moderato molto e
marcate. tertiek ey’ labia’ haan
NOTES ABOUT RICHARD FARRELL
Richard Farrell, one of the most illustrious and talented
pianists to appear on the musical scene in many years, was
tragically kitted in an automobile accident in the spring of
1958. Although he was only thirty-one years old, he had
already established a 1 sete for unusual artistry in Eng-
land, the United States, Europe, and of course his native New
Zealand. Critics everywhere agreed that he was rapidly reach-
ing the height of his enormous musical powers.
Farrell made his American début at Carnegie Hall in 1948,
after three years of scholarship study with Mme. Olge
Samaroff at the Juilliard School in New York, and he was
immediately engaged. to play with the New York Philharmonic
Symphony under Dimitri Mitropoulos and several other of this
country’s major orchestras. Five recital tours followed, as
well as chamber music appearances with the Paganini Quar-
tet, and then he returned to Europe in response to many
demands from England and Switzerland. Throughout Europe
he was active as a television and recording artist, recitalist,
and concerto performer with such conductors as Sir Thomas
Beecham, Sir Malcolm Sargent, Eric Leinsdorf, and Eugene
Goossens,
Technically his playing was exquisite, although he never
condescended to mere bravura, but his chief gift lay in a
superb natural musicianship which combined warmth with
discipline and fervor with style. Mercury is very proud to
issue this LIVING PRESENCE stereo disc containing two per-
formances by an artist whose brief career was so fine and
whose future was so bright.
NOTES ABOUT THIS RECORDING
Wherever Mercury LIVING PRESENCE stereo recordings are
made—in the United States, England, or Continental Europe—
Mercury's unique mobile sound truck is there. This vehicle
houses and transports an intricate assembly of recording
machines, cables, microphones, monitor speakers, a power
generator, specialized meters and other equipment, and ever
its own American coffee pot (which has more to do with
making sessions run smoothly than might be imagined).
Three extremely sensitive omni-directional microphones
were set up in carefully tested locations in Manchester's Free
Trade Hall where the orchestra had been set up on the stage
in its usual concert position, with the solo piano in front and
slightly to the left of the conductor, George Weldon. After a
level check was taken, the microphones were not moved, and
matters of balance and dynamics were left entirely to Messrs.
Farrell and Weldon. At no time was there any electronic com-
pression or other alteration on the part of the engineers; the
performances come to the listener just as if he had been
present at the actual sessions.
Wilma Cozart was the recording director for the sessions,
and C. R. Fine was the engineer and technical consultant.
The tape-to-disc transfer was made by George Piros,
Other Mercury LIVING PRESENCE stereo
recordings for your record library:
GERSHWIN Concerto, in, F; Rhapsody in Blue. Eugene, List
Pianist; Eastman-Rochester Orchestra, Hanson. SR90002
STRAUSS Suite from “Der Rosenkavalier;" Till Eulenspie-
gel’s Merry Pranks. Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra,
Dorati. SR90099
BORODIN Polovetsian Dances (with chorus); RIMSKY-KORSA-
KOV Le Coq d'Or Suite. London Symphony Orchestra,
Dorati. $R90122
MENDELSSOHN: reel No. 5 (“Reformation”); Incidental
Music to "A Midsummer Night's Dream.” Detroit Sym:
phony Orchestra, Paray. SR90174
OUVERTURES FRANCAISES. Detroit Symphony Orchestra,
Paray. SR90191 ‘
GROFE Grand Canyon Suite; Mississippi Suite. Eastman.
Rochester Orchestra, Hanson. SR90049_
OFFENBACH Gaité Parisienne; STRAUSS-DORATI Graduation
Ball. Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, Dorati. SR90016
MUSIC OF LEROY ANDERSON, Vol. II. Eastman-Rochester
“Pons” Orchestra, Fennell. SR90043.
RELEASED IN COOPERATION WITH
THE PYE GROUP OF COMPANIES
A PRODUCT OF MERCURY RECORD
CORPORATION, CHICAGO, ILL.
LIVING PRESENCE STEREO
This Mercury LIVING PRESENCE STEREO record makes available to the disc-buying public an exciting new
listening experience. By means of the most advanced recording techniques, it is now possible to record and
reproduce within a single V-shaped groove two separate audio channels. With the utilization of a stereo
cartridge, these channels are transmitted to two amplifiers and loudspeakers. The result is a vivid re-creation
in the home of a “‘live’” performance, with the remarkable phenomena of depth, direction and spaciousness
which are the hallmark of true stereophonic recording.
The use of the MARGIN CONTROL system of variable groove spacing in Mercury's LIVING PRESENCE
monaural discs represented a major step in the perfection of the long playing record. This technique has now
been successfully augmented with electronic groove depth control for the LIVING PRESENCE STEREO record,
thus enabling Mercury to produce a two-channel disc of exceptionally wide dynamic range, reliable stylus
tracking throughout the frequency range, and startling clarity and definition of instrumental timbres.
This Mercury LIVING PRESENCE STEREO record should be played according to the RIAA standard with a
stereo reproducing cartridge having a stylus tip not exceeding .7 mil. For best results, be sure that your
two loudspeakers and amplifiers are correctly balanced in terms of output and phase, and that the loud:
speakers are placed in the room so as to provide an even “spread of sound” from one to the other.
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